If HAL is IBM then AR is?

Regular readers will know that I am not a fan of analyst firms - mostly. I see them largely as self serving pimps for vendors with only a smattering of business needs understanding. I say that in relation to firms. I do not say that in regard to the many fine individuals I have come to know over the years who do a cracking job at providing incisive, penetrating, valuable insights into what is best for end user organisations. In today's analyst climate they are rare beasts.

So it was with a considerable amount of pleasure and amusement that I received this tweet from a long in the tooth analyst relations (AR) person who I am guessing has pretty much seen it all:

Remember the movie 2001, HAL the computer? If you advance the letters by 1 you got IBM? Do the same with AR...

Go figure.

I always protect the innocent and in this case my correspondent's identity will be our wee secret. But in the meantime, for all those who aspire to intellectual greatness and gravitas in IT analysis ask yourself this: are you an analyst or an anal-yst? The choice is yours.

Disclosure: for my sins I am on the board of advisors to Constellation Research.

Update:

Gary Turner says:

@dahowlett Advancing by 2 is funnier

Martijn Linssen adds:

ask them about their "Alliance Contracts" too

Update 2:

My correspondent messaged me to say: "Best part - no one on my team is clever enough to figure it out"